Voiceless
by IamPainMaster
Summary: finally caught, Dib now has complete power over Zim. but as things turn dark, and truths are seen, morals and opinions may just be forced to change... very likely ZaDf, not sure if it will ever progress to ZaDr. T for safies and because it will get a bit darker later on.
1. Memories

**EDIT: **_typos fixed! also, i'm kind of new to this and i can't find a reply to review button, but people do this all the time, so... thank you guys for all the wonderful comments! 3 _

_fchgfhgkj, YES, i WILL finish it! no need to send GIR after me XD_

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Dib pried open Zim's jaws and poured the contents of his cup into it. the poor creature squealed and struggled, making high pitched cries of agony just barely audible under his horrible gurgling. the water burned his throat like wildfire, then his gut and all the rest of his insides. the Irken couldn't even talk; his voicebox was shot. for such a loud alien the toxic, filthy earth water had burned right through it. gagging, he coughed harshly for about five minutes straight, splattering bright pink blood everywhere. all over his uniform, all over the operating table, all over the Dib...

nothing hurt more then this. NOTHING. ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. if the Dib was looking for sadistic payback, he'd sure as hell gotten it. though barely able to think, Zim could remember being told of the awful things that had happened to irkens in the past. the terrible ways his ancestors had been tortured. all the different ways one could cause pain, they had endured through it, somehow able to pull through and not disappear into the unforgiving sands of time. the all consuming void of universal history...

all Irkens were imprinted with memories of it. some were more garbled than others, but the least painful ones were always quite clear. PAKs had given the Irkens a huge advantage in data preservation. things that had occurred what was thousands of years ago to a human were still crystalline to the Irkens, merely a few hundred of their years ago.

back then, in those first crucial years of entering the space age, the tentative Irkens had shyly but nonetheless excitedly agreed to meet the currently dominating species in a meeting on what their 'status' would be within the galaxy. how important or influential they were.

but instead of being welcomed, once look was all it took to make the reigning interplanetary representatives decide that the Irkens were a JOKE. they laughed and taunted them over their tiny size, and paired with their insectile anatomy, would never refer to them as anything other than BUGS. insignificant pests to be crushed underboot. weak and pathetic; the runts of the litter.

nothing stung those prideful creatures as much as that. they had come with friendly intentions and had purposely worn normally unnecessary gloves and boots so as not to cause harm with their sharp claws. they had taken every precaution NOT to look like monsters with fangs and talons and soulless eyes, but instead were mocked for being short and frail. not dangerous; to little to be of concern. not a threat. not scary; pitiful!

those first few Irkens reacted with so much surprise, innocently astonished that these respected people would treat them like this. a good number of them even scared, afraid the much, much bigger creatures would pick them up and crush them in their hands for their own sick enjoyment. sure, they were carnivores. sure, they had a predatory history. fine, they could be aggressive and volatile. but at least they had come with open minds and hearts! why couldn't they see that? who CARED if they were a little bit smaller than the other races?!

after that they were told to leave and not bother trying anything serious, since apparently they weren't worth the time.

being Irkens, instead of being discouraged they were enraged, and immediately set to declaring war with the council. but though brave they were too proud to realize that they stood absolutely no chance. the Irkens not slain were tortured as punishment for disrespect an disobedience. horrible things were done to them; some were shipped home maimed to the point of total blindness in all the senses except for touch; some dismembered, others disemboweled. many were simply put through grueling experiments to test their physical, psychological, and chemical limits, coming home in shambles once released. the purpose? to send a clear message that they were the _underlings_ and the council and the races they represented the **DEITIES.**

some old stories from ancient, ancient times somehow not lost told of how of all the different creatures, the Irkens were the only ones who could look at Death without fear. the only things too goddamn proud and assertive to be daunted by Death's imposing EVERYTHING. the only creatures not killed by sheer intimidation.

slowly the torn Irken civilization was able to sew itself back together and build a more serious military. after nearly half an irken century, they rebelled, fought hard, and finally earned a place in the council. though they had only won by the skin of their teeth, the Irken's victory was indeed respected. though, it was more due to their cold, unfeeling ruthlessness than their actual strength. the fact that they simply fought, unflinching and unmerciful, had made them into a threat. and they stuck with it.

the fact that Dib had deliberately waited to do this to him made Zim think of that point in history. he knew all too well what those past Irkens had felt being torn open, vivisected.. then sewn up and forced to endure poisoning or exposure to harsh, painful chemicals. those shared memories were like his own. being an Irken meant that he could upload and download any memory on the database. like a hivemind, but also not a hivemind..


	2. Gone

here you go guys, another chapter, after all the waiting! XD

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Zim was still, almost so stone still it seamed he might have been dead, in a chill, dull room with a very high ceiling. far up the wall he faced was a tiny window, the only dim light source in his small world. he wore a pale blue hospital gown, and no boots or gloves. though it was probably meant for a child, the gown was still rather large on him. he had something in his hands, but his back hid it from view.

though Dib made no sound, one of the little Irken's antenna twitched subtly at his entrance. despite the specially designed, silent sliding doors and Dib's trained feet, his acute senses seemed to still be able to detect his presence. Zim didn't say anything to acknowledge him, though. he just sat there, motionless...

slowly, almost tentatively, Zim turned his head to face Dib. in a monotone, though somewhat strained voice, he finally said something. it was a little quiet, but in the deafening nothing of the room, a rustle of leaves was a roll of thunder.

"..Dib... why. why did you do this to Zim?"

Dib made no response, save for a subtle, minute change in his poster, a slight tense of... perhaps fear?

"Zim has done horrible things to you, yes, turned you inside out even... but Zim has never _maimed_ you." there was as much emphasis as his strangled lack of tone could muster on the word 'maimed'. the little Invader looked up at Dib, his eyes soft and pleading, the look alien on his green face. his lips were taut in a thin frown, and his antenna were just a few degrees lower than usual.

Dib paused, hesitating, but then replied- "you know why i poured that water down you're throat." though he kept a steel composure and face, he shifted a little bit. "Zim, i did it to protect the earth. to stop you and you're evil plots. you know that."

Zim's eyes narrowed a little, and his left antenna twitched. he seemed to silently huff, but it could very well have been a stifled cough. he replied in his monotone voice- "fuck you. you don't care." he seemed to fumble with the thing in his hands, though it appeared he was trying to hide for some reason. "YOU DON'T CARE ABOUT WHAT YOU TOOK FROM ME." his tone remained the same but had risen drastically in volume.

Dib looked slightly taken aback, seemly haven given up on holding himself stone and featureless. he looked a Zim with a look of guilt, anger, and a little bit of... longing?

"Zim, please, i'm sorry. OK? i'm sorry i burnt out you voice box, goddammit." Dib told him, choking out the first sentence, growing more lax w/ the rest. somewhere in his face his deeply missed something. there was a dry, ancient longing in him for something he wanted to hear but couldn't, and maybe never would.

the alien in question looked the human over; studying him. he relaxed a little, releasing tension he hadn't known he'd been holding. sighing without any actual noise, he dipped his head in approval to Dib. then, suddenly, he whirled around and flung something at said human. it hit him in the chest, but was too small to have any real effect. picking it back up off the the floor, the boy held it in his hand and examined it.

it was a tiny walkie-talkie looking device that fit neatly in the palm of his hand. it had a few nobs and buttons and a little antenna that flashed every now and then, and a speaker. despite being far out of his reach, it resonated with the monotone version of Zim's voice: "thanks for the hollow gift." in tune with it, Zim's eyes narrowed and he grimaced. he wasn't happy, and if it could, his 'voice' would have reflected it.

Dib walked over to the little Irken, no longer focused boots clicking with an eerie echo, and knelt down next to him. Zim immediately turned away, ignoring Dib's concerned look. slowly, tentatively, Dib laid a hand on his shoulder. he tensed, but eventually Zim relaxed in his grip. being very gentle, the human softly massaged him in a attempt to calm his torn and shredded nerves.

"Zim, look, i came down here for a reason." Dib said, a twinge of regret in his voice. "i'm sorry about leaving you like this. if it's the last thing i can do, can i at least let you free?" he gingerly turned Zim to face him, who stared in disbelief. "Zim, come on. i'll even make you a hologram or something." narrowing his eyes in suspicion, Zim almost growled, though his throat failed him. instead, his vocaloid let out a choppy static noise reminiscent of when he used to be able to hiss. shoving Dib away a little abruptly, he stood up and stormed over to the door. when it didn't open, he pounded his fists on it.

Dib sighed deeply for the 20th time that day and scooped the squirming alien up in his arms.

"stoppit! let go of me!"

ignoring the computerized ranting, Dib carried him out into the halls and into the lift. studying the Irken's base had yielded many great advancements in science. too bad the rest of humanity was to dumb to use them properly, though...

after a little while's travel and a lot fighting Zim to keep a firm hold on the little worm, the duo finally arrived at the exit to Dib's personal laboratories. now almost as renowned as the Professor himself, Dib had his own labs as well as many branches of his father's. he never quite forgave him for ignoring him as a child, but he could kind of understand it now. both of them were now very busy men.

outside, the sun was being to set, and the grass wavered welocomingly in the wind. cars zoomed this way and that down the road, eager to get to their owner's homes or nighttime jobs.

the glass door slid open automatically as Dib strode towards them, parting to let him through. once outside, he carefully set Zim on the ground as best he could. he glared up at Dib indignantly, very offended at being carried around by his arch nemesis.

"well Zim, go on, out. i let you go." he stared at Zim expectantly.

"aren't you going to run around like a maniac?"

after a pause, quick as lightning, Zim shot out and snatched up his vocaloid, then thrust his claws across Dib's face. Dib reacted with a yelp of pain and surprise, recoiling. then, before he could do anything about it, Zim took off, almost flying across the street and disappearing into an alley on the other side of the road. gone. just like that...

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tried my best to make it as in character and realistic as i could while maintaining the plot and feel. how'd i do?


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